I am writing in regards your on-going problems related to
child sexual abuse committed by priests. You may be wondering what makes me
think I am at all qualified to offer someone of your rank and status advise on
any subject, let alone something so controversial. Although I am not a
practicing Roman Catholic, I am a follower of Jesus, and I have been a
psychotherapist for many years. Psychotherapists have a lot in common in with
priests; both listen to people as they struggle with the meaning of life and
death, give comfort in times of grief, hear peoples' confessions, and
facilitate forgiveness.

It is my experience with forgiveness, both
professionally and personally, that led me to write you. Forgiveness is one of
the most power forces in the lives of humans. There is no problem in the world
that couldn't be improved if people were more willing and able to forgive
themselves and others. In terms of forgiveness I know, as the saying goes, I am
preaching to the choir, but I can't help but notice that you as head of the
Catholic Church have missed numerous opportunities to seek forgiveness from
those who have been injured by the actions, and lack thereof, of you and some
of your subordinates. I know you are a busy man, but I think this issue is too
important to engaged in procrastination. Therefore, I have taken the liberty of
writing a letter for you. Feel free to modify it as you see fit.

To everyone who has been harmed by
priests who sexually abused children,

I
am writing you today to ask for your forgiveness for what we did and did not do
that so deeply injured you. I know this is acknowledgement is long over due.
Let me begin by addressing those of you who were the direct victims of priests
misusing their power to engage in sexual acts with you. No matter what they may
have told you to justify their actions they had no right to do what they did;
you did not ask for it, you did not deserve it, and God did not approve of it.
I know that in even in cases where the abuse was violent the worst wounds were
often not to your bodies, but rather were to your mind and spirit. As a result
of the abuse you questioned your worthiness, your sexual orientation, your
place in the church, and your relationship with God. For this I apologize and
ask your eventual forgiveness. I encourage you to stop keeping the secrets you
have held for so long and speak of what was done to you. As Jesus said, "The
truth shall set you free." Express your hurt and angry openly; we have tried to
keep you quiet for too long. We are now willing to listen to you.

For
the family members of those who were abused, I understand that our efforts to
cover-up, minimize, ignore, and blame others, also hurt you. The fact that we
meant well; that we wanted to protect the Church does not excuse what we did.
We put you in the horrible position of having to be loyal to your loved ones or
your Church. In the name of the Church I apologize to you for how we hurt you,
I will pray that my apology will help lift the burden you have carried for so
long.

Finally,
to all members of the Church who we put at risk of abuse by transferring
priests with known histories of abuse from parish to parish; I offer my sincere
apology and promise that this will never take place again. From now on we will
put the safety of parish members over the careers of priests or maintaining the
image of the Church and its clergy in your eyes. We know that the fact that 96%
of priests did not engage in abuse doesn't excuse the actions of the 4% who
did. I also apologize for the billions of your dollars we spent paying damages
to victims of sexual abuse. You gave your money to feed the hungry, cloth the
naked, and comfort the sick; instead your money was spent on legal fees in an
attempt to deny responsibility for the abuse that took place. We lost sight of
the fact that the hierarchy of the Church is meant to serve you, not the other
way around.

- Advertisement -

This is only the first step in our
efforts to accept responsibility for all that we did and didn't do, to make
changes to see that conditions in the Church are changed in a meaningful way,
to seek forgiveness, and to move towards reconciliation with all those we have
harmed.

With sincerity and humility,

Pope Benedict XVI

Dr. Mic Hunter is licensed as both a psychologist and a marriage and family therapist. He is the author of numerous books. His private practice is in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where he lives with his wife of 27 years. He is the author of numerous books (more...)